COACH Paul Roos says the club is determined to stand up on the big stage when Melbourne takes on Richmond at the MCG this Friday night on Anzac Day eve.

Roos said it was a great opportunity for the club to pay tribute to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

“Being Anzac Day [eve], everyone wants to respect what’s happened before, but I’m certainly not one who draws analogies between football and war because they’re so far apart – they’re ridiculous,” he said.

“You want to show in your own way [the respect to] the people who gave their lives and served in the wars and what that meant for Australia.

“I think that’s a big part of the weekend for us.”

It will be Melbourne’s first Friday night match since round seven, 2012, when it lost to Hawthorn by 66 points at the MCG. And Roos said it was vital his side made the most of the rare appearance.

“Friday night is a big stage and we feel like we’re playing some good footy this year and Richmond is as well,” he said.

“Our responsibility is to turn up Friday night and put a good brand of footy out there.”